2024-07 Raynors Historical Collectible Auctions
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/13/2024
The following two letters were written by Otis Whitney (1821-1901) who served in Co. H, 27th Iowa Infantry. The first three-page letter, datelined Vicksburg Miss, January 31, 1864, in part, "The 27th reached this place yesterday on Board the steamer Des Moines ... eight other regiments landed at the same time. In hunting after the Hogshead I had quite a ramble over the town. ... Hills, bluffs & ravins precipitous & altogether ... irregular that no one can image how our forces even took it. With 40,000 troops properly supplied with provisio0ns & munitions of war, I doubt the whole Southern Confederacy could take it back. We have not yet learned our destination. ..." ...plus, another 2-1/2 page letter with minor splits. Datelined Kirkwood 16 miles West of St. Louis, October 3, 1864. In part, "The 24th Mo. refused to come because their time of service is up and has been for sometime.... We should not like that as that is one of the very best of regiments. They would have fought to the death, every man. I have been with them on picket and have heard their stories. ... The rebs have cut the RR between here and Rolla. Unless they fall back soon there will be some severe fighting before many days. The rebs are working for Rolla or Jefferson City or both. ... On the 24th we had a great time with a notorious guerrilla Shelby Cole. He came into our lines probably as a spy ... The citizens informed against him and he was arrested and kept over night. In the morning he attempted to escape, snatched a gun from one of the guards. ... He then ran into our pickets and was rearrested ... At night we got aboard the cars & moved back towards St. Louis, 13 miles. When the regt. commenced getting off the cars the prisoner drew a knife & cut the sergeant's throat servering the jugular, killing him in two minutes ...."
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